


Drunk Words Have Sober Consequences

by Catchinglikekerosene



Series: Requests and Drabbles [17]
Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Alcohol, Boss/Employee Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27630356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchinglikekerosene/pseuds/Catchinglikekerosene
Summary: Becca has had enough of Ethan Ramsey's waffling and lets all of Donahue's know exactly how she feels about the attending.From the things you said prompt list:11. things you said when you were drunk20. things you said that i wasn’t meant to hear
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Series: Requests and Drabbles [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828768
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is in the same world as There's No Way.

Donahue’s was dimly lit and oddly quiet that Tuesday evening; mostly just residents who completed their midday shifts and came to unwind for a little while after happy hour ended. 

Instead of laying back and relaxing, one small group of residents was deliberating, drunkenly devising a plan to save Edenbrook from impending closure. 

Their faces lit up when Bryce came up with a halfway decent plan. 

Becca nearly jumped out of her seat as she exclaimed, “That’s brilliant, Bryce! It just might work!” 

The gaggle briefly celebrated with cheers and clinking of their glasses before their chatter moved onto more logistics. 

Elijah piped in with, “What would Ramsey think?” It was Ethan’s team after all. 

The grand plan would be to change the ethos of the Diagnostics Team, taking on high-profile patients so those profits could offset the cost of pro bono work. 

“Who cares what Ramsey thinks?” Becca was quick to scoff. 

Ever since Ethan rejected her a few short weeks ago, things have been _tense_ between them. They were able to move past it in most ways, putting her professional development at the forefront; it’s the most important thing between them. For every single denial of his feelings he spewed, there were more longing looks, brushes of the hand and lingering near one another just a bit too long. And in the last few days Becca had enough of his waffling bullshit. 

“Everyone?” Jackie retorted as she downed the rest of her beer. 

Becca let out a mirthless chuckle. _If only they knew the real Ethan Ramsey..._ Just thinking about that man put fires in her amber eyes, ignited by the three shots of tequila she’s had. 

She downed the rest of her drink and began her impromptu rant; “He’s pompous and entitled and _so_ up himself. I’m pretty sure he’s a robot.” With absolutely no filter present, Becca bubbled over, “He’s the most infuriating person in the whole hospital! He has so many stupid rules!” 

Only Sienna had an inkling of the romantic faltering between the diagnostics fellow and her boss. Right now, she hoped Becca was okay and that the rest of the group was too lost in their drinks to marinate in the subtext of her words. 

“And he’s going to do exactly what I say!” At some point in her blind rage Becca stomped to the head of the table to make the assertive proclamation. 

She wanted him. As much as she tried to push the feelings aside, to let rejection overcome her, she just couldn’t let him go. Regardless of all of Ethan Ramsey’s flaws, Rebecca Lao was falling further in love with him with every conversation they had. 

As she was on her soapbox and unaware to her surroundings, her friends tried their best to calm her down. The girl was making a _scene_. Bryce noticed even Reggie at the other side of the bar was watching them with an intrigued smirk. Sienna and Elijah tried to silence her speech by sending rounds of “ _shush_ ’s” and “ _Bec, settle down. Use your inside voice_ ” her way. Everyone subtly trying to tell her to shut up before she loses her job.

But it didn’t work. None of it worked. 

Not until she finished her ramble, chest heaving and in need of oxygen, did she register the wide eyes and four pale faces of her friends. 

“Is that so?” his smooth, baritone voice came from over her shoulder. 

Her friends were mortified. 

All Becca did was whip her head around, her quick wit taking over, “Unfortunately.” 

Her dark eyes were hooded, an obvious effect of the alcohol mixing with her exhaustion. She wasn’t looking him in the eye, whatever self-preservation she had was locked to the navy blue tie fastened around his neck like a noose. 

Ethan’s stare was on her; not moving from her face, wishing she’d look up at him. He knew Becca was tenacious. He just didn’t know if her bark or her bite was worse. 

Sienna stood, taking one step towards the ex-lovers’ bubble, “I’m sorry, Dr. Ramsey, she didn’t mean-” 

Ethan held up his hand. 

His ocean eyes were still on her, “Anything else to add, Dr. Lao?” 

For a brief second Becca’s glare flitted up to his face. She saw the careful cracks in his stoic disposition immediately. 

She shook her head ever so slowly. 

“My office. First thing in the morning.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request from the things you said prompt list:   
> 2\. things you said through your teeth  
> 8\. things you said when you were crying  
> 14\. things you said after you kissed me  
> 16\. things you said with no space between us  
> 22\. things you said after it was over  
> 24\. things you said when we were alone

The next day Becca was unceremoniously woken up at 8AM by the incessant vibrating of her phone against the wooden bedside table. She groaned and reached for the device with hungover precision - her hand flapping about until the metal appeared beneath her fingertips. 

She didn’t bother to lift her head from her down pillow as she read and typed a reply. 

> **Ethan:** You’re late.

> **Becca:** I didn’t think you were serious. 

> **Ethan:** Very. I will see you in my office in 30 minutes.

She chucked her phone to the empty side of her bed and folded her arms over her face, expelling an even longer groan. The light was peering into her dark bedroom through the cracks in her thin curtains and, with extreme contempt, she rolled out of bed.

Becca didn’t remember much of last night - the shots lulled her into a state of pure inhibition. But she _did_ remember the look on Ethan’s face as he confronted her in the bar. Everything after he turned his back on her was a complete blur. 

Her mind was desperately trying to put the missing pieces together as she shimmied into her outfit. She yelled at him - her _boss._ Shetold the entire bar about what she thinks of his loathsome personality. Did she regret her angered words? A little bit. Did she reveal something that wasn’t true? Not really. Ethan _is_ difficult to work with. Though in the moment she was eluding to another aspect of the relationship they share. 

She threw on her best non-work outfit - black leather effect leggings and a curve hugging emerald knit tunic, all wrapped together with her black booties and a nude matte lip. Every single thing from last night played over and over again like a film reel in her minds eye, urging her to piece as much as she can. Pocketing as much ammunition as possible. 

The only standout in every scenario she conjured was the innate impassioned feeling of his hot and cold behavior. 

Her heart began to palpate as she made her away to Edenbrook for a meeting with her dumbass boss. 

***

Becca made her way to the Diagnostics Office ever so slowly. She was five minutes early and really didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of arriving at exactly 8:30AM. She made small talk with nurses and interns she passed in the corridors, informing them she was just here to check on a diagnostic’s file and then pleasantly chuckling when someone mentioned she “works too much”. 

As she padded down the diagnostics wing, her heels _click clacking_ along the linoleum, Becca could see every blind in the glass-walled office was drawn and the metal-plated wooden door was open a mere two inches. 

She gingerly pushed it open with the pads of her index and middle fingers. Just enough force for the door to silently slide on its hinges. The glaring morning light from the windows overlooking the city seeped through the crack with every motion.

She took a deep, readying breath before stepping through the crack. 

Ethan was standing hunched over his desk. A pen in his hand as scribbled some notes off the computer screen. He didn’t hear her come in. Or if he did, he wasn’t ready to acknowledge her presence. 

The second she saw him her body went into defense mode; standing straight up, her arms folded across her chest, and biting the inside of her lip to keep her cool. 

“Is this really necessary?” she called from the doorway. 

“Shut the door.” 

His tone was serious and commanding. Her eyes went wide and lips parted a fraction of a hair. _Something’s wrong._

Becca did as she was told. 

When she turned around he was perched at the front of his desk, hand inviting her to take a seat. 

“What’s this about, Ethan?” 

She took the chair directly across from him. The toes of their shoes keeping ground less than a foot apart. Becca’s body was rigid as she sunk into the leather; her nails dug into the soft fabric under her arms. 

Rebecca Lao had never feared Ethan Ramsey before. His reputation preceded him. Deep down she knew his churlish actions always came from a place of passion - of caring. But not today. Today he looked like someone else entirely. 

He was looking down at her. His eyes a deeper, clouded shade of blue than she’s ever seen - akin to deep Burmese sapphire. Dark and imperceivable. His body so straight and the lines of his face - the ones she used to adore tracing when they were alone - were flagrant. The sight made her skin crawl. 

Ethan folded his arms across his chest; “For starters, the diagnostics team does not need you to save it. We will not be taking on for-profit-only cases.” 

“That’s ridiculous. You know it could work!” Becca sat up as tall as she could in the sunken leather. The brawl was beginning.

She did plan on pitching the idea to him tomorrow morning once she gathered enough evidence for a proper pitch. Unfortunately, Drunk Becca informed him of the idea first. 

“It degrades the entire ethos of this team and I will not do that to Naveen’s legacy.” 

She audibly scoffed and rebuked, “There will be no legacy if Edenbrook shuts.” 

His repudiation was swift and his baritone voice level; “No.” 

Ethan’s cold eyes bore into her own. He noted the embers of rage swirling in her amber irises. She was prepared for a fight and he _had_ to fight with her. There was no way out of _this_ this time. _She’s_ the one that crossed the line and he’s the one that _has_ to handle the aftermath. 

“As director of this department and your superior I’m telling you to stick within your paygrade.” 

Her arms dropped to her side with a surprised _thud_ as she absorbed the unmitigated slap in the face. Pulling rank was the least credible and most damning bullet he could have fired. Never had Ethan brushed her off so easily. Even if he didn’t agree with her point of view he always respected her enough to hear her out. 

_Why’s he being so irrational about this?_

Her jaw hung in disbelief, air swirling in and out as she tried to formulate a response. Her cheeks had flushed and her eyes darkened; her chest rising and falling quicker as she assessed her opponent.

Settled before her in those _god awful_ navy blue checkered suit trousers and ridiculous dotted tie was her medical inspiration. Her mentor. Her fleeting lover. The man she’d been falling for and considered a close friend. Someone she thought she could trust and be trusted in return. 

Now she wondered if she really knew Ethan Ramsey at all. 

And that’s what hurt the most. 

Finally words found her. Loud and laced in venom she all but screeched, “Do you ever get your head out of your ass? Or do I have to surgically remove it?” 

He was quick to chide, “Stop acting like a petulant child, Rebecca.”

“Me!? You’re the one being unreasonable!” 

“Being pompous and the most infuriating person in this hospital has its perks.” 

Realization washed over her along with a wave of palpable regret. 

She looked at the floor, brown eyes locked onto the two pairs of unmoving shoes, as she acknowledged her fault, “You heard all that?” 

Two beats passed before she stole a glance up at him through thick lashes.

“The entire city heard you, Rebecca.” 

She averted her eyes like a child ashamed of disappointing their favorite adult. 

The silence hung between them. Becca’s arms folded over her chest once more and Ethan curled his fingers around the edge of his desk like a vice. 

“I only meant for my friends to hear,” she muttered a grim apology. “It was said in confidence.”

“That’s why you were screaming it.” Ethan’s tone was submerged in enough sarcasm to make her wince, and there was a tinge of something else she couldn’t quite place.

Those words had Becca mentally check out of this conversation immediately. He wasn’t listening and she knew he wasn’t planning on hearing her out. 

_Enough._

“Did you literally just call this ‘meeting’ to chastise me for my private opinions of you? That seems like a gross waste of hospital time and surely you have more important things to do.” 

She didn’t even give him a second to debate before pushing her body out of the chair and making a beeline for the door. 

Ethan was quicker. 

Becca only made it three steps before he gently grabbed her wrist. 

He had been going over, and over and over again and again, all the words he overheard her lament the previous evening. Nothing was adding up. _Surely_ she couldn’t possibly feel so much distain for him. They’ve had such lovely moments together even if they had to keep everything professional. _Hell_ , just a few weeks ago she admitted she still wanted him - decorum and Edenbrook be damned. 

What changed? 

“Is that how you really feel about me?” his voice was an octave lower and each breath coated in discernible vulnerability.

“How I _feel_ about you?!” 

Becca whipped around to face him. Her eyes were wide and wild, unsettlingly settling on him. His words threw her in a tizzy. 

How could one brilliant man be so delusional? 

Becca shook her head; “We’re not doing this, Ethan.” She tried to pull away but he held on tighter.

“No.” 

“No?” 

“We’re not done here.” 

“Oh fuck off,” she seethed. 

“I’m not a robot. You of all people -”

Her azure eyes curved and pleading, the storm swirling beyond the jetty and threatening to spill over. Something tugged at her heart strings. Seeing him like this was distressing. 

Becca could see the cracks of desperation in his face and filled them in with every rejection he’s ever spewed her way. She’s trying so desperately to hold her own. To be strong for once. To give him a taste of his own medicine. Becca Lao needed to let Ethan Ramsey go once and for all - its in her best interest to distance herself from him. 

After all, the best is all he’s ever wanted for her. 

_Right?_

“Yeah I know you have feelings,” she countered. “I have feelings too.”

She could see every one of his emotions battling with his resolve in the oceans of his eyes. She could see just how much her words have hurt him. She could sense that now he’s realized just how badly his have hurt her too. How he _keeps_ hurting her. 

She twisted her arm in his unrelenting grip; “The shitty thing is you aren’t forthcoming with yours.” 

Resigned, Becca took a deep, deep breath. 

She doesn’t want to do this. 

He’s imploring her with a rawness she’s never seen him exhibit before. Ethan Ramsey had never looked so _human_ before. 

They’re standing so close together. So close she’s tuned into every breath he takes - every shallow inhale and labored exhale as he tries to regulate himself. As he tries to hold onto his valued stoicism; of the man he used to be before he knew her. Becca’s resolve is crumbling. Having his warmth at her wrist surging a dauntingly euphoric electric current throughout her entire being and settling in the spaces her body carved out specifically for him was unnerving. Ethan’s aura was drawing her closer and closer and she was fighting the rationality she’d been clinging to all morning. 

Becca closed her eyes. She needed to tap into something to hold her ground. 

She took a restoring breath. 

_Ah._

With newly opened eyes she found the one thing that could fuel her fortitude... 

Becca recalled the rage she was in earlier. She called upon the remnants of alcohol in her system to remind her of what’s important. Let that furor consume the ever-enticing feeling of falling right back into him.

She’s _gotta_ do something to get herself out of this goddamn predicament before he can pull her in just to reject her again;

“I’m done, Ethan. I’m done wasting time thinking you’ll come around.”

Her words were suspended in midair. Time stopped. Everything ceased existence just long enough for Ethan to assimilate.

In one last ditch effort Ethan tightened his grip on her wrist and dragged her as close as physically possible. All he had to do is lean and she’d be flush against his chest right where she belongs. Where they both were too stubborn to admit they needed to be. 

Her breath hitched as his free hand swiftly wrapped around her and found its way back home at the small of her back. Ethan had her cradled in the palm of his hand. Rebecca wasn’t going anywhere. _If only she was putty_. Instead, she’s the most maddening and marvelous women he’s ever known. 

And she wasn’t backing down. 

There wasn’t an ounce of physical space left between them and yet they’re miles apart. 

This close Becca could see herself perfectly in the gloss of Ethan’s eyes. They were mirrors of her own; bloodshot and rimmed, the waterline collecting despair and ready to spill over. One quick push and they’d crack. She could smell his cologne - sandalwood and oranges and a musk that was so distinctly _him_. Against her better judgement she took profound inhale. Every waft, ever note of the glorious scent - all of it loaded with retrospection. All the fleeting memories rushed back from that first weekend they spent together - that weekend that _ruined_ them. Of wandering around his apartment in the shirt he was currently wearing. Of his warm hands wandering from her lower back and caressing her every curve. Of his eyes hooded with a hunger only she could satiate. Of his lips on hers and peppering her skin and telling her he - he... 

_It’s all_ _too much_. 

Becca forced her eyes shut so tight. 

Her breathing slowed. 

Her lips parted. 

Her tongue glided across them. 

She muttered; 

“Let me go.”

Becca felt his resolve loosening at her wrist well before opening her eyes. 

Ethan looked just as damaged as she felt. His shoulders hung, his touch slowly losing heat, and his features... 

For once Ethan Ramsey was speechless. For once he didn’t have all the answers. 

One last time she’d offer them all up on a silver platter. 

Her manicured brown brows rose to the ceiling twice. 

Ethan’s gaze never faltered from her. His lips divided and his tongue took its time forming the words that needed to be said. 

The fingernails of her free hand daringly came up and grazed the space from his inner arm to his chest. She’s coaxing him to say the words she needs to hear to set her free. She _needs_ to hear him say that they can only be colleagues. Just one more time. One more time with infinite finality. 

He knows she’s waiting for it. Just like at the Stevenson’s house he can’t say it. Can’t bring himself to let her go. Deep down Ethan Ramsey knows Becca Lao is his partner in every sense of the word. She’s it for him and it scares the _absolute shit_ out of him. 

If he lets go now he’ll lose her forever.

And again, he can’t quite tell if her bark is worse than her bite

Surely the frosty burn coating his skin from the daggers she’s shooting him aren’t as bad as the void that would be left in her wake if she walks out of his life for good.

All he has to do is say the words.


End file.
